ZIP 79536 · Taylor County
Merkel, TX Homeowners Insurance
According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 79536, Merkel, Texas averages $2,396/yr.
- 9.8%
- Loss ratio
- #576 of 1504
- Texas rank
- 6
- Policies
The verdict
ZIP 79536 (Merkel, TX) homeowners insurance averages $2,396/yr, 87th percentile nationally, 35% above the U.S. ZIP-code average.
- $2,396
- Avg premium (2022)
- +35%
- vs U.S. ZIP-code average
- +2.6%
- since 2018
- 87th
- national percentile
According to U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data. How we calculate the percentile and national comparison: methodology.
Insurance Livability Score
PlainInsure's own composite of Treasury FIO premium/market data and FEMA National Risk Index hazard data, each dimension percentile-ranked against the full national corpus. Not an official government score, and not a substitute for an actual insurance quote.
Where ZIP 79536's premium sits nationally
Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022
$2,396 Higher than most more expensive than 87% of 25,593 ZIP codes
tracked ZIP codes, bucketed by value
Each bar is a $0.25K-wide band; taller bars hold more ZIP codes. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office · 2022
Data Snapshot: ZIP 79536 (Merkel, TX)
For 2022, the average cost of homeowners insurance in ZIP 79536 (Merkel, TX) runs $2,396 per year, based on U.S. Treasury FIO's ZIP-level tracking across approximately 6 reported policies. Nationally, that ranks ZIP 79536 in the 87th percentile, 35% above the U.S. average of $1,776 per year. The Texas statewide average is $2,349 per year; this ZIP sits 2% above that figure, ranking #576 of 1504 tracked ZIPs in Texas by premium. The closest-priced peer within Texas is Alice (ZIP 78332) at $2,396, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.
At a loss ratio of 9.8%, insurers retained a working margin after claims in this ZIP. The claim frequency here, the share of policies with at least one claim, stands at 4.13%, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $5,717.
Premium data spanning 5 years shows ZIP 79536 costs have risen 2.6% since 2018, from a low of $2,335 to a high of $2,396, an annualized rate of +0.6% per year.
FEMA NRI places Taylor County in the upper risk band at 83.8 (Relatively Moderate): national 84th percentile, #40/245 inside Texas, and 66% above the 50.5 state mean. Top hazard on the map is Hail. Social Vulnerability Index 34.5 · Community Resilience 76.5. NRI does not price policies; it situates the county.
How to read these numbers
The figures on this page come from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, which collects homeowners insurance premium and claims data directly from the largest property insurers in the country. Because the data is aggregated at the ZIP-code level and averaged across many policies, it describes the typical cost in an area rather than a quote for any single home. Two houses on the same street can pay very different premiums depending on their age, construction type, roof condition, prior claims, and the specific coverage limits and deductibles the homeowner selects. The loss ratio shows how much of every premium dollar insurers paid back out as claims; a ratio above one means carriers lost money locally, which often precedes rate increases or carrier exits. Rising nonrenewal and claim frequency reveal how stressed the local market has become. Use these figures to gauge the direction and scale of costs in your area, then request quotes from several licensed carriers before buying or renewing a policy. FIO data aggregates voluntary reporting from the 40 largest homeowners insurers, covering roughly 80% of the U.S. market, so figures represent market averages rather than individual policy quotes; your own premium will vary with dwelling value, deductible, coverage limits, construction type, and insurer-specific underwriting. This page is educational research only and is not insurance advice, homeowners should request quotes from multiple licensed carriers or an independent agent before purchasing or renewing coverage.
How ZIP 79536 Compares
Premium History
Average premium in ZIP 79536, 2018–2022
| Year | Avg Premium | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $2,335 | - |
| 2019 | $2,340 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | $2,374 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $2,364 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | $2,396 | +1.4% |
Multi-year FIO trend for ZIP 79536 (5 years)
Similar ZIP Codes in Texas
Other ZIPs in Texas priced close to this one.
One of 1,503 ZIP codes with premium data in Texas, 9 are shown here.
Elevated FEMA NRI in Taylor County
County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 79536 via FIPS 48441. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.
Social Vulnerability Index 34.5 · Community Resilience 76.5
County hazard ratings
- Wildfire
- Relatively Moderate
- Flooding
- Relatively Moderate
- Earthquake
- Very Low
- Hurricane
- Very Low
- Tornado
- Relatively Moderate
- Hail
- Very High
- Winter weather
- Relatively High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index · state rollup: Texas NRI context · top counties by NRI score.
Nationwide insurance peers outside Texas for ZIP 79536
Two FIO peer sets for ZIP 79536 in Taylor County (NRI 83.8, hazard Hail), both outside Texas. Population floor ≥1,000 matches the rate rankings.
Similar average premium
Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($2,396/yr here).
Insurance Guides
Put this high-cost ZIP in context
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Federal Insurance Office (FIO) Homeowners Insurance Data (2018-2022). Premiums are ZIP-level averages and may not reflect individual policy costs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is homeowners insurance in ZIP 79536? ▼
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Merkel, TX? ▼
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 79536 compared to the national average? ▼
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 79536? ▼
How have premiums trended in ZIP 79536 over 5 years? ▼
How does ZIP 79536 compare to the Texas state average? ▼
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 79536? ▼
What to do with ZIP 79536
This ZIP's premiums run at the 87th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.
- See how Merkel, TX compares to every other ZIP in Texas. Texas overview
- Check the ZIPs ranked highest and lowest nationwide before assuming this one is typical. View rankings
- Look up a different ZIP code to compare rates directly. Search ZIP codes
These figures are Treasury FIO aggregates for this ZIP, not a personal insurance quote.
Every figure on PlainInsure is rendered directly from U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on U.S. Treasury FIO data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.